Campbell, Detmer among NFL stars victimized in scheme

AUSTIN, Texas -- The former CEO of an Austin-based investment firm was convicted Wednesday of running a scam that targeted former professional athletes and cheated hundreds of people nationwide out of more than $50 million.

A federal jury convicted Kurt Branham Barton, 44, in a Ponzi scheme that gained the trust of more than 300 investors -- including former NFL players Earl Campbell, Ty Detmer, Chris Weinke, Jeff Blake and David Akers -- said John E. Murphy, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas.

Barton -- the founder, president and CEO of Triton Financial -- faces up to life in prison.

"It is regrettable that selfish, greedy individuals devise schemes to make themselves rich by victimizing honest and innocent people," Murphy said.

The jury convicted Barton on nearly 39 counts, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Among them was conspiracy to commit wire fraud, making false statements to secure loans from financial institutions and money laundering as well as one count of securities fraud, 15 counts of wire fraud, five counts of making a false statement related to the acquisition of loans and 17 counts of money laundering.

Prosecutor Mark Lane reminded jurors that former Heisman Trophy winner Detmer -- who considered himself Barton's best friend -- testified that he lost most of his life savings, about $2 million since investing with Triton in 2005.

Other athletes who prosecutors said invested with or promoted Triton were Heisman winners Campbell and Weinke, former NFL quarterback Blake and NFL kicker Akers. Akers said he lost more than $3 million. The athletes were not accused of wrongdoing.

Barton's attorney, Rip Collins, said that Barton was trying to run a legitimate though mismanaged business.

Collins said it was "inexcusable" that Barton spent investor money on sports cars, fancy clothes and University of Texas luxury suite football tickets but he insisted that his client was hopeful -- even as things worsened -- that the business would somehow work out.

"I think Kurt Barton became delusional," Collins said. "He became delusional from the standpoint that he thought he could pull (Triton) out of the fire. He hung in there."

Throughout a four-year period that ended in December 2009, Barton created schemes to obtain money from investors under false pretenses, according to evidence presented in the eight-day trial.

Prosecutors said that Barton repeatedly lied to investors, including members of his family, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, business leaders as well as professional football players.

He told them that his firm was using their money for investments in real estate, businesses and for short-term loans to business owners. Prosecutors said Barton was really using their funds for his personal use, to help keep his firm afloat and pay off other investors.

He presented fake monthly account statements to financial institutions, commercial lenders and potential investors to conceal his scheme.

Prosecutors reminded jurors that people who weren't so high-profile saw their life savings disappear in the scam.

Diane Gordon, a woman who trusted Barton because he told her her money would be safe, lost about $850,000 -- all the money from her husband's life insurance payment.

Lane said that none of Gordon's money was used the way she was told it would be but instead was spent propping up other Triton investments.

"The financial assault of Barton's elaborate scheme has been as devastating to his victims as any physical robbery," FBI Special Agent in Charge Cory B. Nelson said. "... The con man can be as brutal as any armed robber."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Lions place RB Smith on IR, promote ex-Army star Campbell

The Detroit Lions placed veteran running back Kevin Smith on season-ending injured reserve for the second consecutive year and signed linebacker Caleb Campbell off the practice squad in time for Sunday's showdown with the Dallas Cowboys.

The Detroit Free Press reported Saturday that the Lions shelved Smith, who injured his thumb during last week's 14-12 loss to the Buffalo Bills, to open up roster room for the season's final stretch.

The Lions officially announced the roster moves Sunday.

Smith had surgery on the thumb Thursday and hoped to shed a hard cast for a splint by next week, according to The Free Press.

Smith, who led the Lions in rushing in 2008 and 2009, missed the first three weeks of this season while on the mend from knee surgery.

Running back Maurice Morris will assume the No. 2 running back role behind starter Jahvid Best.

As Smith's season was ending, Campbell's was just beginning.

"Just got activated! Headed to Dallas. Ill take that!" Campbell tweeted Saturday.

Campbell was selected by the Lions out of Army in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

At the time, Army policy would have allowed the West Point graduate to serve as a recruiter if he made the team. A subsequent Department of Defense policy superseded that 2005 Army policy, and Campbell was ordered to give up professional football for "full-time traditional military duties."

Campbell was released from his active duty obligations in May 2010 and joined the Lions' practice squad before the start of this season.

Lions linebackers have fought injuries in recent weeks. Isaiah Ekejiuba (knee) is questionable to play against the Cowboys, and Bobby Carpenter (toe) and DeAndre Levy (groin) are probable.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Raiders' Cable leaning toward sticking with Campbell at QB

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Jason Campbell might have done enough to win back the starting quarterback job for the Oakland Raiders even after Bruce Gradkowski recovers from a separated shoulder.

Just last week coach Tom Cable said the quarterback situation was "clear cut" and Gradkowski would be the starter when he was healthy. But Cable backtracked Monday and said he might stick with Jason Campbell, who just led Oakland to its first three-game winning streak since 2002 following a 23-20 overtime win over Kansas City.

"I really haven't wavered, but I do have a belief in me about, you know, when you're dealing it and you got the hot hand, and things are going in the right direction for your football team, you know, why would you make a change?" Cable said. "That's what I think right now, but in the back of my mind I also say, 'It's not really making a change. He was a starter before I made the change with Bruce and he's kind of come back and done a lot of good things for our team."'

Campbell opened the season as the starter after being acquired in a draft-day trade from Washington. That lasted all of six quarters before he was benched in favor of Gradkowski at halftime of the home opener against St. Louis.

Gradkowski rallied the Raiders (5-4) to a win over the Rams and started the next three games before being sidelined by a separated shoulder against San Diego.

Campbell led a rally against the Chargers to give the Raiders a win and then had a miserable performance in his first game back as the starter against San Francisco.

But Campbell has been much better since then. He completed 57.5 percent of his passes the past three weeks for 743 yards, five touchdowns and one interception and a passer rating of 104.3.

Cable said he would probably announce his decision next Monday when he has a better grasp of Gradkowski's health, but it's clear which way it's looking when the Raiders return from the bye to face Pittsburgh Nov. 21.

"What's the negative of this?' Cable asked. "Well I have another problem. I got two good quarterbacks healthy again. That's the only negative I see about it. I'm probably leaning toward staying with the hot hand. That's just where I'm at."

It's a far different tune than what Cable said a week ago after Campbell led the Raiders to a 33-3 win over Seattle.

"There's no issue there in my mind," Cable said last Monday. "What we've done is some nice things in the last two weeks. You got to take your hat off to Jason. ... It's a nice job on his part, as well as the rest of the offensive players. But, we know who our quarterback is."

The Raiders could have plenty of other players back after the bye as there's a chance that they could be completely healthy for the first time all season.

Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (sprained right ankle) and leading receiver Zach Miller (sore foot) missed the Chiefs game, but could be back Nov. 21 against Pittsburgh.

Oakland also could get defensive tackle John Henderson back from a stress fracture in his foot that caused him to miss seven games. Receivers Louis Murphy, who has missed two games with a bruised chest, and Chaz Schilens, who has not played since undergoing knee surgery in training camp also could be back.

The Raiders did well without those injured players, with Jacoby Ford catching six balls for 148 yards as a starting receiver. Chris Johnson and Jeremy Ware played well at cornerback, while Brandon Myers caught three passes and offensive lineman Khalif Barnes scored a touchdown on a tackle-eligible play as Oakland adjusted without Miller.

"Just seeing the guys go out there and perform has been great to watch," Murphy said. "I can't be more excited to be back a part of it. It's just good for the overall team. That's been our whole thing, receivers got to make plays, once we start making plays we'll be able to get this thing rolling and the last two weeks that's what's happened. It's just good to see that happened."

The Raiders will practice Tuesday and Wednesday before getting four days off to relax. Then they will return to focus on a trip to Pittsburgh and a second half of the season that looks much more promising than it did just a few weeks ago when they were 2-4.

The key now is maintaining that momentum following the week off.

"If you don't handle it right, it can be bad," defensive lineman Richard Seymour said. "You can gain a lot from it, and you can lose a lot but I think if we handle this thing the right way - the way things have been going - with the attention to detail and the ways guys have bought into what we're trying to do, I think it's going to be a really good thing for us."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Boller, Campbell or Gradkowski? Raiders will wait to decide

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders quarterback Kyle Boller could make his first start of the season Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Or it could be Jason Campbell under center. Injured starter Bruce Gradkowski hasn't been ruled out, either.

For a second consecutive day, Raiders coach Tom Cable put off making a decision on who will start after all three quarterback practiced in some fashion Thursday.

Boller, who started four games with the St. Louis Rams in 2009 after four years as a starter for the Baltimore Ravens, took the initial snaps in practice with the Raiders' first-team offense and alternated reps with Campbell. Gradkowski worked out on his own in individual drills.

Boller is the healthiest of the three. Campbell injured his left knee during last weekend's 17-9 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and has been limping noticeably since. Gradkowski hasn't played since reinjuring his right shoulder in the first half of a Oct. 10 game against the San Diego Chargers.

"They all did a little bit more today, but it was kind of like yesterday in terms of rep breakdown and all that," Cable said. "It was pretty even for Kyle and Jason. Bruce did a lot of individual work and some light throwing but nothing more than that."

Cable hasn't ruled out any of the three quarterbacks, saying Gradkowski would be the starter if he's healthy. If he's unable to play and Campbell can, then the job is his.

Gradkowski would need to make significant progress in his recovery to be in the lineup Sunday.

"He felt really good today," Cable said. "Yesterday, it didn't bother him, and if he can do a lot tomorrow, who knows?"

Campbell, handed the starting job in the offseason after being acquired in a trade with the Washington Redskins, also is hurting but is closer to playing than Gradkowski.

Cable said Campbell wouldn't have been able to play if the game was Thursday. Since the Raiders have a day before they fly to Denver, the coach will wait to see how Campbell is doing before making a decision.

Campbell earlier this week underwent an MRI, which was negative.

"I don't know that he could have (played) today," Cable said. "He could go back, call plays and throw it, but to be able to run and do the things he's got to be able to do, it'd be pretty iffy."

Even if Campbell is healthy, the Raiders might turn to Boller.

In last Sunday's loss to the 49ers, Campbell completed just 8 of 21 attempts for 83 yards and a career-low 10.7 rating. He has been booed during home games and was benched at halftime of Oakland's Week 2 victory over St. Louis, when Cable handed the job to Gradkowski.

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Regardless of who starts, the Raiders say they won't change their offense. That bodes well for Boller, who previously worked with Raiders offensive coordinator Hue Jackson when both were in Baltimore.

"I've pretty much stayed on top of it over the last six weeks, and that's part of your job," Boller said. "(It) doesn't matter if you're a starter, second-stringer or third-stringer. You have to always be into the game plan and doing just the same things the starter's doing, so I don't think I'll miss a beat."

Boller has made 46 career starts but never passed for more than 2,559 yards in one season. The 2003 first-round draft pick, by the Ravens, has more interceptions (50) than touchdowns (48) and possesses an NFL rating of 70.6 over six years.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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